Bartlett Sanitarium
by keb144
Summary: We woke up in an unfamiliar place. We were told that we were home, in a place unknown to us. We recognized everyone. They didn't know us, outside of their world. We wanted to go back to our school. But instead we were trapped in Bartlett Sanitarium
1. Prologue

Bartlett Sanitarium

By Claire and Kelsey

The white overcoat was as impeccable as the walls of the sanitarium surrounding Dr. Gornick. His clipboard in hand, he opened room 4378. Four beds were stationed in the room, seperated by paper screens. He sighed as he picked up the clipboard for patient 414 AKA Kelsey Brice, she was asleep, which Dr. Gornick was grateful for.

The clipboard read the neat, yet demonic, handwriting of Dr. Winter. "Patient shows signs of Schizophrenia, BPD and severe IED."

Dr. Winter didn't even know what she was talking about. He scanned the page even further to see red letters in the 'Recomended Perscription'

'TRANQUILIZERS' and 'carbamazepine' He flipped the page back to the front.

Dr. Gornick sighed and set the clipboard back in the slot at the end of the bed. He was definitly going to have to talk to that woman.

The next patient, 314, AKA Claire Heiken, had similair disorders as patient Brice. Bipolar Disorder. As well as psychoneuroses. Only Patient Heiken was not classified as schizophrenic.

Again, the recommended perscription was 'TRANQUILIZERS'.

Dr. Gornick looked down at the bottom of the Patient Analisis sheet and saw the scribbled signature of Dr. M. Winter.

The next Patient was 815, AKA Josh Heinztleman. His diagnosis was BPD, and _petit mal_ epilepsy. This boy always kept fainting and injuring himself, even just by lying in bed he managed to screw up his shoulder. Most _pm_e patients injur most of their body, he only hurt his shoulder.

'TRANQUILIZERS'

Dr. Winter.

The last patient was 614. AKA Victor Bailey. His diagnosis was BPD, as well, as Jacksonian Epilepsy. His convulsions have been known to require heavy sedation and isolation. Of course, under the supervision of Dr. Winter and Nurse Hanzuk.

'TRANQUILIZERS'

Dr. Winter.

Dr. Gornick looked around the room at the sleeping patients. He watched as the rain slid down the barred window in cascades of ripples. This wasn't going to be a good day. He'd switch his schedule so that he could be here if one of them has an episode. He wasn't going to let Dr. Winter deny these kids proper treatment.

One day he would be able to prove that she was not following proper protocol for isolation. She'd thrown so many people in there. Some people would simply be sitting in the public room during lunch, and she'd say that they were not interacting appropiatly.

He checked off his own time-sheet of when they were calm, and when and episode happened.

He looked at the sign on the door and smiled slightly at seeing the bold carved letters of 'WE ARE ONE'

Dr. Gornick looked back at the four teenagers and whispered. "That we are."


	2. Diagnosis

**CHAPTER 1: Diagnosis**

"I think we should start preparing the patients for psychosurgery, mainly the prefrontal lobotomy procedure. I know that patient 414 requires this surgery. Her mental state seems to be decreasing with each treatment-" Dr. Winter was cut off from her diagnosis plan by Dr. Gornick.

"Then maybe the treatment plan should change before we change this girl's life by removing the front of her brain!" The expierenced doctor stood up, tossing a file at the young doctor.

"Read that and tell me when you were planning on telling your supervisor that you were perscribing Zolafat and Lithium to these patients AND Reserpine?" Dr. Gornick stared at the blonde woman across the table.

"Well I was going to stop their Zolafat tomorrow, when I started them on the Reserpine." Dr. Winter snappily replied.

"You wouldn't have a problem with Zolafat and Reserpine, but if you keep them on Lithium and Reserpine, you are serving them Death in a two tablespoon cup." Dr. Gornick dialed a number into his phone.

"Dr. Vano's Office, would you like to make an appointment?" A young woman answered the phone.

"No, I would like you to send her down to Dr. Gornicks Office as soon as you can please." He never stopped staring at Dr. Winter.

"One moment please, I will transfer your call to her desk." The line beeped and an older woman's voice spoke through the phone.

"This is Vano, Dr. Gornick how can I assist you?" She asked.

"I need you to come to my office. And could you call in Drs. Cunningham, Thornley, Reynolds, Baxley, and Gough? I need a board approval on a new perscription plan for 414, 314, 815, and 614." Dr. Gornick looked down at his desk, "Dr. Winter has made a bad mistake."

"We'll meet you in the main board room in 15 minutes. Oh, and your wing will be recieving a new member, Dr. Calvin. You may remember him."

"Of course, Goggles." Dr. Gornick smiled, "We will meet you there in 15 minutes." He hung up the phone, and looked back up to Dr. Winter.

"You do not know what is best for those children, let alone Ms. Brice. If you perform a prefrontal lobotomy, you will kill her. She already had a fragile mental state when she was instituinalized here."

"Dr. Gornick," Misty Winter sighed, standing from her chair in front of his desk, "I respect you, seeing as you are my supervisor, and a very recognized individual in the pschological world, but I do think that you are losing your touch. You should let my generation take over. We know what's best for our own Generation."

"Don't you dare say that you know what is best for this generation. If you knew what was best, you would be doing everything possible before even thinking about having to perform that surgery! You seem to have some sort of grudge against these patients and treat them as the scum of society!"

"They are mentally ill, they are a danger to themselves and to society! If we do not minimize that risk the public will be in danger forever. I don't see what makes you think that you have any say in the health of MY patients!"

"EVERY SINGLE PATIENT IN THIS INSTITUTION HAS BEEN MY PATIENT THE DAY THEY WALKED INTO THIS BUILDING!!" Dr. Gornick screamed. "You act like you know what is best for these patients. Most of what you know about them is the definition of their 'illness'. Have you ever really talked to one? How about Mr. Hersah. Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder after his wife of 72 years died. His granddaughter tossed him in here because he said he wanted to die. He is on the 5th floor. No medication, but we cannot release him. Because his family will not take him in. He is what we call an inpatient-nonpatient. Derrick Crawford has been here for 15 months, he tried to kill himself with a spoon because his mother only slept with his father to get child-support for drugs. He felt like just a pawn for his mother's addiction. If you think that I do not have a say in the outcome of these patients' diagnosis' you seriously need to take a step back."

"I will give my testimony to the board and let them decide." With that Dr. Winter walked out of the room. Dr. Gornick slammed his fist on the table in pure frustration. He looked down at the files on the tables and just sighed.

He would have to save those kids.


	3. The Psycho Board of the Pyshco Ward

**CHAPTER 2: The Psycho Board of the Psycho Ward**

"Well, now that we're all here," Dr. Gornick said, clapping his hands once together as he stood at the front of the group of his coworkers.

"Would you kindly tell us what this is about, Brian? I have a patient to check up on." Dr. Reynolds said, taking off her glasses as her snake-like eyes scanned the room, as if scouting out the weaker ones to make an attack.

"Already got that." A tall, thin, platinum blonde young man entered the room, his long hair back in a sloppy ponytail and a pair of ridiculously large goggles on his head.

"Hello, James." Dr. Gornick smiled.

"'Ello, everyone." Dr. Calvin sat down beside Dr. Gough and put his feet up on the table.

"Okay, _now_, that we're all here, we can have a proper conference about how these children should be treated." Dr. Gornick began.

"Well, I must say, that I agree fully with Ms. Winter on this subject. 414 is clearly in need of this surgery." Dr. Reynolds stated.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up now. Kelsey? You can't give her that surgery. It'll screw her up worse than she already is." Dr. Calvin protested, ready to stand.

"You use her name as if she's not a resident. And what of the other three? Do you address them by their first names?"

"Hell yeah, lady. Kelsey, Claire, Josh, and Victor, well, Vic to his friends. Got a problem with that?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. You give them unneeded attention. They are patients-"

"They are people." Dr. Calvin stood and glared down at the superior doctor, his jovial expression replaced by one of anger.

"Okay, you two," Dr. Nagel began, "just sit back down and we'll get this taken care of."

"Alright." Dr. Calvin sighed, taking his seat.

He crossed his arms and wished he could burn his superior with his eyes. She deserved it. More than anyone here... or so he thought.

Until Dr. Winter piped up.

Her high, annoying voice rang, "Okay, people, we're here to talk about whether or not patient 414 gets the surgery or not. All in favor. " She raised her hand.

"What the hell is that?" Dr. Baxley said irritably, "This is more complicated than just a vote. She doesn't need the surgery. All four of those kids have been through hell as it is. Can you imagine what that would do to them? You're setting the lot of them up for something none of us will be able to help them with."

"Medication and sedatives can only do so much." Dr. Thornley added.

"Exactly." Dr. Gough nodded.

"There will be no more meds or seds with this surgery." Dr. Cunningham stated coolly.

"My ass!" Dr. Baxley nearly shouted.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, my ass!"

"Watch your tone with me."

"MY TONE!? Good god almighty! You have some serious problems! You should be the one getting that damn surgery!"

"Hey, uh, guys?" Dr. Thornley tried to quiet them.

"Shut it!" Dr. Cunningham yelled.

"Um, okay." The quiet doctor muttered, never being the assertive type.

"Ms. Winter has a good point."

"You're an idiot!"

"Kelsey doesn't need the surgery."

"Yes she does."

"EVERYBODY! SHUT UP!" Dr. Calvin screamed, jumping to his feet so fast that his chair was sent back several feet, and he spread his arms wide, a look of near panic on his face.

"Calm down, and sit your asses back in your chairs, so maybe we can decide if any patient needs this surgery. I find it pointless and stupid." He continued.

"I agree, let's be civil about this." Dr. Gornick stated, and Dr. Baxley was the first to take her seat, followed by Reynolds, Vano, then eventually Cunningham.

"Okay, we need to decide on a date." Dr. Winter said.

"Uh, we need to decide on a sensible course of action." Dr. Gornick replied.

"The procedure is the only sensible course of action."

"That's not true, and you know it."

"Fine," The girl sighed, "we'll wait on the surgery. But I still say she needs it. I think they all do." She spoke coldly.

"I am on Ms. Winter's side." Dr. Reynolds said.

"That's it." Dr. Baxley drew in a breath and swung hard at her enemy, punching her in the eye, and the bruises came to light almost immediately.

The woman cluthed her eye and shrieked, "You hit me!"

"Brilliant deduction, Captain Obvious." Dr. Baxley smirked.

Dr. Gornick couldn't help but smile.


	4. The Magnificient Four

**CHAPTER 3: The Magnificent Four**

Josh woke up first, the rain pattering against the window not helping the mood of the room. He sat up and he could hear voices outside of the room.

"I can't believe those women!!" It was Dr. Gornick, "Kelsey doesn't need that surgery. None of them do. There's no reason why they would!"

"Kelsey doesn't even have a condition. I think that she simply has an alter personality that lives in a world in her subconscious. I think that maybe the medicine that was perscribed to her simply set it off. I don't think that this Kelsey even knew of the other one." This voice was familiar. But Josh had no idea where he had heard it before

"But how does that explain how they all know each other?" Dr. Gornick asked.

"I said I think. I don't know!" The voice sighed. "I wish I did though. I would seriously try to help those kids. They really don't deserve this."

"No one deserves this. And people like Winter and Mullane do not help these kind of situations!" Gornick yelled. "Goggles, I don't know if there is any way that we can help them."

Goggles?

Josh shot out of bed and ran to the door, and ever so calmly began trying to beat it down.

"GOGGLES!!" He screamed. "I KNOW THAT'S YOU!! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!!!"

"Dude, go to bed." Victor mumbled from his bed, tossing the pillow at Josh.

"Oh, shut up, Vic." Josh shot right back at the boy.

"I think we should open the door." He heard Goggles say.

"YES, OPEN THE DOOR!!!!" Josh yelled.

The white door opened and there stood the tall 6'3'' lanky figure of James Calvin AKA Goggles. He looked the same. Just as if from Bartlett High, except his eyes were no longer brown, but a deep blue color.

"Hi, J.J." Goggles smiled. "How ya doing?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just bored out of my mind sitting here in this little room with four people for two years 'they' say. As you can probably guess, you run out of things to talk about!"

Josh yelled.

"I know that you are frustrated but we really need to talk to all of you about something serious." Dr. Gornick stepped into the room.

"What?" Josh asked.

"It would be best if you were all awake." Gornick looked back into the hall and grabbed two of the plastic chairs and dragged them over to Josh's bed.

"Goggles, can you wake the girls?" Dr. Gornick turned to Josh, "You and I can wake Victor."

"Ha! You mean YOU can wake Vic." Josh jumped to his bed and hid under the covers. "I don't want to die."

"Fine," The doctor went over to 614's bed and began poking the boy hard in the head.

"Ow, go away." Victor groggily slapped in the direction of Dr. Gornick.

"Wake up." Gornick pushed the young boy off the bed onto the floor.

"Asshole!" Victor yelled.

"Yes I have one, now get your sorry arse off the floor." The doctor sat down on the chair and allowed the boy to get off the floor by himself.

Goggles had woken up the girls and Claire sat on the floor and Kelsey sat up on the bed with Josh. Victor collapsed at the end of Josh's bed.

"Okay, I think that all of you deserve to know that some of the doctors want to perform a surgery on Kelsey."

"What?" Kelsey asked. "What kind of Surgery?"

"A prefrontal lobotomy. They want to remove the front part of your brain." Goggles explained.

"WHAT?!" Kelsey screamed.

"Mainly Dr. Winter wants to perform this procedure."

"Well Winter can suck a dick. She's a bitch and I want to rip her hair out." Kelsey yelled, tears of fear flowing down her cheeks. "You're not going to let her do that, are you Dr. Gornick?"

"No, Kelsey. I'm not going to let her. I'm sure the rest of the board will not let her do that either."

"But what if they do?" Kelsey sobbed. "I want to keep my brain." More tears fell and her voice cracked.

Josh pulled Kelsey into a hug, holding her close.

"Don't worry, I won't let them cut you open." Josh whispered.

"No one's going to let them turn you into a drooling veggie. No one can break us up." Victor smiled.

"Yeah! No one can break up the Magnificent Four!" Claire yelled.

Kelsey smiled at that. She was glad that someone would fight Winter with her.


	5. Holding Their Own

**CHAPTER 4: Holding Their Own**

Dinner time at Bartlett Sanitarium was one of the few occasions that the four friends were permitted to see their two younger friends, patient 713, AKA Matt Holder, and patient 1113, AKA Eric Brons. 713 had been diagnosed with tourrettes syndrome, and often joked about his illness.

1113, had been confirmed to have Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder and also made frequent jokes about it.

"BALLHAIR!!" Matt shouted, his head jerking to the side. He laughed and so did the others, and then he said, "Okay, let's guess on what the next one's gonna be."

"I wager it'll be piss-face. You seem to favor that one." Victor said, a foolish grin on his face.

"Vic, that's horrible. I'll say, whore. Let's go with the Winter description." Claire suggested.

"Nice." Victor chuckled, holding his hand up to high-five his friend.

"SCROTUMLICKER!!" Matt yelled, earning laughs from his friends.

"Oh well." Victor shrugged, "Better luck next time."

"Dumbass." Josh laughed.

"Dammit, Kelsey, eat something." Claire ordered, trying to sway her best friend.

"Not hungry." Kelsey mumbled.

"Oh, my god." Eric looked stunned, "What is wrong with you?"

"Scared shitless, is a word you might use." Kelsey replied.

"Of what?" Eric asked.

"Damn prefrontal, lobotomy. Winter wants to cut out part of my brain."

"Oh, hell no!"

"WHORE!!" Matt screamed, and Kelsey agreed.

"That was an acurate outburst." She smiled at their friend.

"Wasn't an outburst." The boy grinned. "That was a statement."

"Sweet." Eric smiled.

"I love my illness!" Matt grinned.

Even Kelsey was laughing, sitting between Josh and Claire across from Matt and Eric.

"I wish tourettes was all I had to worry about." Victor sighed, thinking back on his last episode.

The faces went sober, and when the blonde noticed, he waved it off, "Come on guys, don't let me screw up the fun. You know I'm just messin'. I shouldn't have even brought it up, sorry."

"Sure, Vic." Claire said somberly, nodding at her friend.

That had been a bad day for them all, and Victor's first 'Electroconvulsive Therapy' session, and afterward, if anything, his convulsions worsened, but he hadn't had one in a little over a week, so he was doing well.

"PISSFACE!!" Matt shouted, and they were all laughing again.

"Excuse me." A high, annoying voice came from behind them. "Patient 713, will you please control your outbursts. I don't want to have to sedate you."

"Whoa, whoa, hold it." Josh turned to face Dr. Winter. "Matt has tourettes, he can't control his outbursts, and, just so you know, sedation isn't the treatment for everything."

"I know that, 815, but he could try, at least."

"He could." Josh nodded, speaking somewhat falsely. "And maybe Vic and I could try not being epileptics. Don't you think it's a bit, you know, hard?"

"Watch your tone." She replied icily.

"I don't have a tone." He looked as innocent as he could bring himself to look.

"I'll be keeping my eye on you all." Dr. Winter turned and walked away, leaving the commons, in favor of her office.

"You are completely insane." Kelsey looked in awe at the brunette.

"That's why I'm here, babe." He put an arm around her shoulders, smiling, and then... he fainted.

"Oh shit." Victor said quietly, searching around the room for any doctors, and giving a sigh of relief when he saw only Dr. Calvin.

"He shouldn't be out that long." Eric stated, and sure enough, Josh soon opened his eyes.

"Fuck." The boy sighed, and Kelsey gave him a weak smile.

"At least nobody saw it." She said comfortingly.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. You okay J.J.?" Someone said, but this time, the voice was perfectly welcome.

"Hey, Dr. Calvin." Kelsey said.

"Oh good god, how many times do I have to tell you guys? Call me Goggles. According to you, I liked it at school, and I like it here, so no more of this 'Dr. Calvin' shit."

"So, you don't think we're insane?" Victor asked, his expression showing slight disbelief.

"Oh god no." 'Goggles' smiled.

Sighs were heard around the table and Josh rested his elbows on the table, propping his chin on his hands.

"I hate epilepsy." He sighed.

"You think you've got it bad." Victor blinked a few times and almost winced at the thought.

"Sorry, dude." Josh apologized, feeling a sharp pain in his stomach.

"Oh shit." Victor shook his head. "I have got to quit doing that."

"Vic, you have got it pretty bad." Claire sympathized with him. "I just scare easy."

"Yeah, man." Josh smiled. "Oh, it's so terrible to pass out on occasion. Yipee!" He laughed. "Petit mal is all I gotta worry about."

Kelsey gave a laugh, "Oh, my god. I get moodswings. The world's gonna end. Sure, Winter hates my guts, but, you get that electro-shit."

"Okay guys, first, the electro-shit, as Kelsey so cleverly put it, is not that bad." He was lying through his teeth now. "and second, stop letting me screw up every joke, I don't mean to, so ignore it."

His friends all nodded, but were all thinking the same thing.

_It's killing you._


	6. The 'Visitor'

**CHAPTER 5: The 'Visitor'**

Kelsey stood near the window of the room. The rain had stopped that evening and now the sky was just simply black and stormy. The doctors couldn't be right. She didn't need to have part of her brain removed. If anyone needed that, Winter needed that.

"Kelsey?" She jumped as the voice broke her out of her thoughts. Kelsey turned to see Josh sitting on his bed.

"Josh. How long you been there?" The patient asked, attempting to wipe any evidence of tears from her face.

"Enough to know that this lobotomy is not the best thing for you if it's making you so nervous." Josh stood and walked over to her, putting his arm around her waist.

"Of course I'm nervous. The fucking doctors want to take out my brain!!" She sobbed, leaning into him.

Josh put both of his arms around her and just held her as she cried.

"Why can't we just go back to school?" He heard.

"I don't know." Josh whispered back.

He helped her over to his bed, there he sat her down and stayed by her, gently rubbing her arm. "Kelsey, I am not going to let them hurt you. You are my sister. Fuck blood. It dries up anyway."

"I don't want to be here anymore. I just want to go away." Kelsey looked up at Josh, "Am I really insane?" She asked.

"No!" Josh stared at her, "Kelsey, none of us are insane. Especially you."

"If I am not insane, then the board would not need to be arguing over whether or not I need a surgery or not!" Kelsey screamed.

"They are just being retarded." They looked up to see Goggles, Dr. Gornick, Claire and Victor were standing in the doorway.

"Dr. Winter is just trying to prove something. I'm not sure what, but she's trying." Gornick sighed.

"I don't know what the board is going to decide." Kelsey stood from the bed, "But if they want to take my brain out they are going to have to remove it when I am dead. They've got to ask my Parents first, right?!"

"Umm... It's up to the state whether or not any medical procedures are performed. You're wards of the state." Goggles informed them... while staring at the floor. He couldn't say it to their face.

"Say that to my face." Kelsey walked up to the doctor, crossing her arms in front of her.

Goggles looked up from the floor, staring the patient in the face. "You are a ward of the state. All of you are."

"Where the FUCK ARE OUR PARENTS?!!" Victor screamed.

"You all were handed over last year. Your parents... didn't..." Dr. Gornick couldn't finish his sentence.

"They didn't want us? That's a bunch of bullshit." Josh sat back on the bed, folding his arms behind his head.

"Dr. Calvin?" A nurse appeared in the doorway. "Patient 815 has a visitor."

Josh looked up, annoyed that he just relaxed and was being called.

"Okay. He'll be there in a minute, thanks." The nurse left and Josh stood up from the bed.

"Do you know who it is?" Dr. Gornick asked.

"No. No one that I know of was supposed to come visit me." Josh shrugged. He walked out of the room, looking back once more at his friends, before walking into the paper white hallway.

He passed the doors, hearing the mutterings of the real psychos. He made it to the visitors room, looking around at the barren tables, until his eyes landed on an older woman sitting at one of the tables.

Josh walked over to the table, sitting on the chair, and looking back at the strange woman.

"Hello?" He asked, not recognizing the senior citizen.

"Hello, Josh, are you well?" She asked.

"Yes. I'm sorry, but who are you?" Josh felt bad that he didn't recognize the lady.

"Oh, they have you on the blasted medication again, don't they. Those crackpots don't know what they are talking about." The woman reached her hand across the table and gently patted his hand. "There is nothing wrong with you." She retracted her hand and sat up straight, "If I had the resources I'd take you and your friends out of here and take you home myself. I'd care not a bit if you went off and did any crazy young teenager stuff. Just as long as you were safe and far away from these stupid doctors."

"Umm, I still don't know who you are. I'm sorry." Josh still felt kind of bad about that.

"Oh, yes. Forgot that you didn't know. I'm your Grandma." She smiled.

Josh felt a wave of happiness knowing that he wasn't completely alone.

"What resources do you mean?" He asked.

"Like the money, or the space. I only have one bedroom, mine, and there's not enough room for all four of you in my bed. Sorry." She chuckled.

"You've met the others?" Josh's eyes grew wide. He didn't know that she had met Kelsey, Claire or Victor.

"Of course, during family day. They are really nice, aren't they?" 'Grandma' sighed.

"You've no idea." Josh sighed.

"How are the other's doing? Is everything okay?" She had a genuine 'motherly' look of concern on her aged face.

"The doctors are being idiots and want to perform a lobotomy on Kelsey." Josh sighed, looking down at the table. "And they've started Vic on electrotherapy again."

"Frick-bags." 'Grandma' muttered. "I really wish that there was something that I can do to help you guys. But I'm not able to, damn laws, always get in the way, but if I could, I would get you out of here."

"Thanks, Grandma, that really helps my self esteem right now. I really wish that we could get out of here and go home with you." Josh smiled.

"Times up." Nurse Hanzuk walked into the room.

"Git." 'Grandma' mumbled. "Okay, Josh, I love you, and I will see you again next week." She leaned across the table and kissed her grandson on the cheek before leaving the room.

"Okay," The nurse stated once the elder had left the room. "Back to your room, freak."


	7. The Fifth Musketeer

**CHAPTER 6: The Fifth Musketeer**

Claire, Kelsey, Victor, and Josh had finished their lunch, and were on their way back to the room, when they saw Dr. Calvin bolt past them down the hall.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" He was shouting, and he slid around a corner and disappeared.

"Holy crap." Victor sighed, looking to the others.

"Wonder what happened this time." Kelsey replied as the four kept walking.

"Oh my god." Josh was suddenly pushed aside as Dr. Nagel ran past them, almost as frantically as Goggles had.

"This is big." Kelsey stated.

"It's gotta be." Claire responded.

"NO! DON"T TOUCH ME!" They heard a boy scream, and they all looked at each other.

He sounded so familiar, and Kelsey looked back at Claire, who was just staring blankly down the stark white hallway.

"No. It can't be him." Claire shook her head, and Victor turned to look at his friend.

"Is that your-" He began.

"I don't know." She cut across him.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" They heard the boy shout at the doctors.

Dr. Calvin ran a hand through his now tangled blonde hair and and gave a heavy sigh as he rounded the corner toward them.

"That poor guy." The doctor sighed.

"Who is that?" Josh asked.

"He claims to know me, and I don't know how." Goggles stated.

"What about Bartlett High? Does he make any reference to that?" Victor asked.

"Yeah, actually." Goggles looked intently at the younger blonde. "Do you think he might know you guys?"

"He might." Victor nodded.

"I gotta get back to work. The dude is thrashing all over the place." Dr. Calvin sighed as a scream rang from down the hallway.

He walked back to the room where he was needed and the teens lost sight of him again.

"This is not good." Josh shook his head.

"We should probably get back to our room before Winter catches us unsupervised." Kelsey said, and the other three nodded.

Once they returned to their room, the hall guard locked them in for the night, and they waited for his heavy footsteps to fade, meaning that it was safe to talk.

"That sounded like David." Kelsey said to Claire.

"I know. But, how could it be?" The other brunette looked confused.

"Hey, apparently anything's possible." Kelsey shrugged.

"He'd probably know us if he saw us." Victor added.

"I didn't know this guy at school. Who is he to us?" Josh inquired.

"He was, or is, I don't know, one of Claire's friends." Victor stated.

"Yeah, he was my pal at school, but I don't know what's up here." Claire informed the blonde boy.

"Oh, that skinny senior guy?" The light went on for Josh.

"Yes, that guy." Claire sighed.

The four of them heard a knock at their door, and Goggles' voice came, "Hey guys, is it okay if I talk to you?"

"You have the key. It's not up to us." Victor stated.

"Okay." Goggles sighed.

The tall doctor entered and shut the door behind him, looking around at the occupants of the room.

"We have a problem. Dr. Winter is putting so many kids in solitary, and I need help. You guys just need to make sure that no one you know lands themselves in that situation. I've gotta get a few out of there now, so can you help me prevent future ones?"

"Sure." They all nodded.

"Thanks." Dr. Calvin nodded back.

The next day, the friends woke up around the same time, and Claire looked out the window near her bed into the lawn, with it's brown patches and trash strewn sidewalks.

"Hey, you okay?" Victor sat down beside her.

"Yeah. I'm fine." She pushed a lock of mousy hair out of her face.

"If that is David, Goggles'll help get him out of wherever he is. I know he will."

"Yeah. But if it is him, what if he's different? Mike and Misty are, what if he is too? I would miss the old David."

"Yeah, he's a cool kid." Victor smiled.

Claire sighed and looked at the sky as they heard Kelsey and Josh stir.

"OW!" They heard from Josh's area, and turned to see that he had fallen off of his bed.

"Smooth." Kelsey smiled.

"Hey. You guys up?" Dr. Gornick had just knocked on the door.

"Yeah." Josh grunted as he stood.

"Good." The doctor opened the door and stepped in. "We've gotta get you guys to breakfast." He seemed so cheerful.

"What's the occasion, doc? You seem downright giddy." Victor said.

"Oh, I just won a freaking argument against Winter, and one of my patients is finally getting what's best for him." Dr. Gornick grinned.

"Is Kelsey not getting the surgery!?" Josh looked hopeful.

"We haven't yet discussed that, so the subject won't even be up for quite a while. Be thankful for that." Dr. Gornick sobered a bit, but overall, still looked happier than normal.

"Who is it?" Victor asked.

"Oh, don't worry about it." The doctor waved it off.

"Oh, I will worry about it." Victor pointed at the doctor's face as he walked past the man, following Claire out of the room.

"You guys are hilarious." Dr. Gornick shook his head.

"What are you on?" Kelsey asked, looking skeptically up at the orderly.

"Sorry, just a bit thrilled that I finally won over the board against that little, egotistical, prissy, blonde-"

"Brian!" Dr. Mullane had her hands on her hips. "Get over here and help your accomplices get Patient 217 ready for relocation. I still don't see why you found it neccessary to move him, but you have your reasons, I suppose."

"She says it like it's a crime." Dr. Gornick sighed as he walked toward her.

"Let's get to the cafeteria." Josh looked back at his friends.

The four walked to the commons and took their seats at the table with Matt and Eric, getting some food and laughing about the few outbursts that Matt had of; "WHORE!" "SLUTBAG!" and the ever popular "PISSFACE!" before they had finished.

Claire heard footsteps, and looked behind her to see the thin, yet imposing figure of Dr. Calvin standing behind her.

"'Ello, poppet!" He smiled.

"Hi!" Claire grinned. "What's up?"

"I am requesting your presence elsewhere." He stood taller and put his chin up. "Is my tyring to sound smart routine working?" He asked, sounding official.

"Um, sure?" Claire nodded.

"Damn." The blonde slouched and sighed. "Okay, well, I need you to come with me anyway, there's someone who would really like to speak at you."

"Okay." The girl looked hesitant.

"Oh, you're not in trouble. He just, really, really wants to see you."

"Okay..." Her speech was hesitant.

"He, just, please come with me." Goggles now looked like this was the most urgent news of the year.

"Alright." Claire nodded and stood, following Goggles down the hall.

The two arrived at room 4378, her room, and she looked up at him, obviously puzzled.

"You'll see." Dr. Calvin nodded a few times and unlocked the door, pushing it open and gesturing for Claire to go in first.

She took a hesitant glance up at him once more before walking into the room and taking a skeptic look around.

She stopped, noticing the, as of late, unfamiliar skinny frame and nearly black, straight hair and slightly pale skin of a boy sitting with his side against the wall on Claire's bed, looking forlornly out the window and at the dismal sights.

His sad, almost gray, sea green, eyes stared into space, until he blinked, then resumed the same look.

"David?" Claire took a hesitant step toward him, speaking a bit softer since she didn't know what his state was.

"Hmm." The boy looked over and his eyes seemed to brighten at the face of someone he knew. "Claire?" He asked, a smile starting.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Oh, my god. David!" And she took hurried steps to him, sitting on the bed and throwing her arms around David's bony shoulders.

He closed his eyes and smiled as he returned the embrace and rested his head on her shoulder, his long dark hair falling out of his face.

"I missed you so much, man." Claire smiled.

"I missed you too, Claire." David sighed, settling closer against his friend.

"Are you doing okay? Or do I have to kick someone's ass?" Claire asked him.

"I've been better. The sedatives haven't worn off yet, so I'm not as spastic as I wanna be, but other than that, I'm okay. And you can thank some blonde bitch for giving me so much fucking medication." David explained.

Claire ran one hand over his smooth hair and sighed, "She's already on my shit-list, so I'll promote her to numero uno for you." She smiled.

"Thanks." David said quietly, obviously very tired as he nuzzled his face into Claire's neck.

"I'll leave you two then." Dr. Calvin gave a satisfied smile as he left the room.

"Goggles is still cool." The boy gave a weak laugh, opening his eyes and pulling back a little to look properly at Claire.

"Yeah. He is." She nodded, playfully ruffling David's oddly cut hair.

He chuckled and flipped it back out of his face.

"Welcome to the group." They heard from the door, and turned to see the other three in the doorway, Victor being the one who had spoken.


	8. Solitary Confinement

**CHAPTER 7: Solitary Confinement**

Claire, David, Victor, Josh and Kelsey sat with Eric and Matty the next morning at Breakfast.

"I wish that we actually got some real food in this place." Kelsey whispered, poking around at her 'eggs and bacon'.

"We'll get out of here, and I'll buy you a pizza." Josh smiled.

"Thanks." Kelsey smiled.

"You're quiet." Victor pointed at David with a forkfull of 'eggs'. "You gettin shocks, too?" He popped the 'eggs' into his mouth.

"No. But Dr. Winter wants to keep throwing me into S.C." David sighed.

"S.C.?" Claire looked at him. "What is that?"

Kelsey looked up, eyes wide. "You don't know what that is?"

"No." Claire rolled her eyes. "It can't be that bad."

"It's a blank white room, no windows except a slit in the door, Claire. They throw you in there and you sit. You can't count any specks on the ceiling or anything on the floor. There is nothing to count. It's spotless and blinding. You end up in a corner just wishing that some monster would come into the room, eat you, and your blood would at least add some color to the room." Kelsey down at her food. "It's hell, Claire. I only was in there for 15 minutes before Dr. Gornick got me out of there. Solitary Confinement is the worst thing in this place."

Josh put his arm around her, pulling her against him.

"Oh my god." Claire looked over at David. "How many times has she put you in there?"

"I lost count. I think about 20 times this week." He shrugged. "Usually about an hour or two."

"Why?" Josh asked. "Why'd they put you in there?"

"Because I wouldn't be acting appropriate. Or I didn't take my meds. Or I'd cheek my meds." David shrugged. "Depends on the mood of the ice-queen."

"Jesus. That sounds horrible! Who'd think something like that would help anyone?" Josh sighed, glaring at Dr. Winter.

"PISSFACE!!" Matty yelled, causing everyone to laugh.

"Wow, Matt." Claire sighed.

"All of you, calm down!" Dr. Winter's whiny voice piped up.

"What? We were just laughing." Josh looked up at her.

"You are disturbing everyone here! Now calm down or I will be forced to restrain you!" Dr. Winter growled.

"We were just laughing at what Matty did, you can't turn us into emotionless zombies, Winter." Victor stood, staring at the woman. "You can't control us."

"All of you into confinement, NOW!!!!" About three or four nurses cam running from different areas of the room, all lunging at the children.

"NO!" Kelsey screamed, kicking and scratching at the nurses. Nurse Hanzuk grabbed her by the arm and twisted it behind her back, causing her to scream in pain. "PLEASE NO!!"

"Let her go!" Josh screamed. "You can't do this!"

"Watch me." Winter smiled.

"David!!" Claire reached for his hand, but the nurses had already dragged him too far away. "Let me go!"

"GUYS!" Victor screamed. "Fight them!!"

"PISSFACE!!! SCROTUM LICKER!! SAY I'M PRETTY!!! WHORES!! HO-BAGS!!!" Matty was thrashing and screaming all the way to the dimly lit hallway outside the cafeteria.

A switch opened seven of the doors and everyone was tossed in a different room.

Dr. Winter took her keychain from around her neck and locked the doors, grinning as her and the nurses left the hallway.

Ignoring the screams and yells.

"No! Let us OUT!" Kelsey screamed, trying to claw her way out of the room, her nails breaking and blood staining the door. "Dr. Gornick! Goggles! ANYONE!!" She broke down and slumped against the door crying. "Let us out." She whimpered.

"Kelsey!" She heard Josh's voice from the room next to her. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes!" She cried, crawling to the wall and leaning against it. "Josh, I can't stay in here, we need to get out!"

"I know, we will, it'll be okay. Just talk. Do something. Anything. It'll be okay." She heard him.

In a cell across the hall, Claire shouted to the room next to hers, where she knew David had been thrown.

"David, are you okay?!" She asked him.

"I'm fine, what about you?! I'm used to this!" David replied. "Just relax! Try not to freak out, and you'll be fine! All of you!" He got their attention.

"Everyone, listen to him!" Victor shouted for the others.

"Okay! All of you! Stay calm! That's how they get to you! Just don't freak! Trust me!" David screamed, making sure that they all heard him.

"I hate this!!" Kelsey screamed. "I hate this!!"

"Kelsey, calm down! Just listen to me!" David yelled. "Don't freak out! Everyone just keep talking! Do NOT freak out!"

"You need to relax!" Victor shouted, noting that Kelsey was the main one that was affected. He dwelled in his room, just walking back and forth between the two walls.

"It's a little hard to relax!!" Kelsey shrieked. "I hate these rooms!! I hate these rooms!" She slammed her fists against the floor, wincing at the slight pain. Her voice cracked as she whimpered, "I hate this room."

"Kelsey, you can't freak out!" Claire yelled, looking through the slit in the door, but she couldn't see anyone in the other rooms.

For about a minute there was absolute silence. All that you could hear was Kelsey crying quietly in her S.C. room.

"I HAVE TO MAKE A POO-POO!!" Matty's voice rang out through all the rooms.

"Nice Matty." Eric laughed.

"You seem very calm about this, Erik. Are you blind?" David screamed.

"Nope." Eric chuckled. "You forget some of the effects of my disorder. There's actually a lot of color. I see a purple platapus."

Josh heard Kelsey laugh weakly from the other room.

"Kelsey? You okay now?" He asked.

"I'm a little better, now that I closed my eyes." Kelsey spoke very quietly and very fast.

"Okay, then just keep them shut." He smiled,

"It's the only way that I don't claw my own eyes out." She whispered, but Josh still heard. He knew that this was rough on her. She'd been in here before, and it had scared her so bad. Josh remembered when she came back. Kelsey just shook really bad in the corner of the room before Josh was able to get her to move to his bed with him.

She seemed so little when she was scared, moreso than normal... being how much smaller than everyone else.

"Josh?" He heard her voice through the walls.

"Yeah? You okay?" Josh asked.

"I want to go home. Are we ever going to get out of here?"

"Yeah, Kelsey, we will." Josh smiled. _'I hope so.' _He thought solemnly after.

Claire slumped against the wall that separated her from David and sighed. She's never been in one of these rooms, and it was a bit frightening, but she could handle it. The only real problem was that it was too quiet, that was all.

"Claire?" David, spoke just loud enough for her to hear him through the surprisingly thin wall. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just quiet. That's all." She replied, giving another sigh.

"Alright, you're sure you're okay though?"

"Oh yeah. I'll be just fine, unless they throw me in here a few more times this week." She gave a small laugh.// "This place _is_ hell."

The sound of running feet was heard outside the rooms, Kelsey stood up, attempting to look out the window. She saw Nurse Hanzuk dragging someone down the hall by their arms. It was a girl, very small. She was kicking and screaming the entire time.

Kelsey ran to the wall that connected to Victor's. "There's someone new! I've never seen her here before! She looks familiar!"

Victor ran to his door and looked out the window.

The girl was short, had sun-kissed brown hair. When she turned her head to scream down the hall he saw her face.

And saw his girlfriend.

"SONJA!! SONJA!! LET HER GO YOU BASTARD!!! LET HER GO!!" Victor yelled. He banged his fist against the walls, screamed, kicked the door. But the Nurse just smiled and tossed her into the room next to Claire.

"Let her go!" Victor whimpered.

"Claire! Talk to her! Sonja is next to you! Talk to her!" Kelsey screamed across the hall.

She barely heard the screams, but she heard her none the less.

Claire crawled over to the wall and knocked on it.

"Sonja?" She shouted. "Are you okay?"

"NO!! Who are you?! I know your voice! Who are you?!" Sonja shouted back.

"Just a question. Do you know what Bartlett High School is?" Claire asked.

"Of course I do! I'm a student there but they won't let me go back!" Sonja screamed. "CLAIRE! Is that you?!"

"Yes, it's me. Kelsey and Vic are in the rooms across the hall." She sighed. "We all are trying to get the Doctors to let us out. There is just no way to prove that we have ever been to Bartlett High."

"I want out of here. When are we getting out?!" Sonja screamed, slamming her fists against the wall. "Let us out!! Can anyone hear us?! Let us out!!"

Down the hall, the doors to the wing had a sign.

**CLOSED FOR CLEANING. DO NOT PUT IN ANY PATIENTS UNTIL 8 A.M.**

No one heard the screaming.


	9. Missing Patients

**Chapter 8: Missing Patients.**

Dr. Gornick walked down the hall. He needed to check in on Kelsey. He had been up most of the night, researching different treatments in order to change her options.

She didn't need to lose her brain to get better. She really didn't.

There are so many more treatments.

He just needs to find one that doesn't involve messing with her brain.

When he got to the room, he sighed before opening the door. He was about to greet the four teens when he noticed that the beds had not been slept in. He looked around and didn't even see a sign that they had been in there at all during that night.

"SHIT!!" Gornick screamed, turning and running out of the room. He ran down to Dr. Winter's office and burst through the door.

"What the hell have you done with my patients?!" He shouted, the blonde woman jumping in fear.

"I don't know what you are talking about." She replied, looking hastily back down at her papers.

"You lying little bitch! You have done something to them. I swear if you have hurt them at all I will make sure that you never work in the medical field again!! Ever!!" Dr. Gornick screamed. "You are a horrible excuse for a Doctor. You shouldn't even have gotten out of Medical School. You are a demonic little whore who should never have even survived High School."

"You are out of line, you bastard!" She stood, screaming right back at the older man, that actually being her first mistake.

"You are the one out of line, Dr. Winter. You just insulted a superior. So now you are hereby suspended until further notice. You will await a hearing from the medical board of the state." Dr. Gornick smirked. "You may have just signed away your medical liscence."

Dr. Winter looked as though she had been attacked by a ghost.

"You will never work in this hospital. That I can guarantee."

With that the man walked out of the room. He walked a few feet before he thought about where they could be.

There's only one place that she would put them.

Solitary.

He shot in a dead run down the hall, nearly killing everyone in his path. When he got to the Confinement wing he saw the sign and nearly screamed in rage. He tore it from the door and burst in. He flipped the key and all the doors opened.

No one came out.

"Hello!?" He screamed. "Please!! Answer me!"

"Dr. Gornick?" He turned and looked into a room. There sat a figure huddled in the corner.

"Josh. What happened? Are you okay?" The doctor ran into the room.

"I'm fine. Winter threw us in here. But check on Kelsey. You have to see if she is okay." The boy had tears in his eyes. "She screamed a lot last night. Then she suddenly stopped."

"KELSEY!!" Josh and the Doctor turned to see Claire run into the other girl's room.

Josh pushed past Gornick and ran into the room next to his. He saw the girl lying motionless on the floor, a pile of vomit next to her still form.

"What's wrong with her?!" Claire screamed.

Dr. Gornick knelt next to the girl and felt her neck for a pulse. It was very weak, but it was there.

"She's in shock. My guess was the withdrawal from her drugs for the past 24 hours. Winter had her on a deadly cocktail of drugs. If you aren't weaned off of that stuff then you can go into a chemical coma because of what the drugs will do to your brain." He lifted the girl into his arms. "Josh go." He handed him the girl. "Take her to Goggles. He needs to start her on her medication immediatly."

Josh nodded and ran out the room with Kelsey in his arms.

"Vic?" Sonja popped her head into the room.

"He's in the other room." Claire pointed a shaking hand to the right wall.

She nodded, and turned into the other room.

And there was Victor.

Asleep.

Sonja knelt beside him, smiling at how dorky he looked with his long hair covering his face.

"Vic, wake up." She said, gently shaking his shoulder to rouse him. When she got no response, she poked him in the stomach. When that did nothing, she wet her finger with saliva and stuck it in his ear.

The boy shot up and screamed, "Whoa there!" and then his eyes met Sonja's.

"Sonja!" He exclaimed, and he threw his arms around her, but he drew back and put his hands on her face, as if to ensure that she was really there, and he wasn't just imagining her.

"I'm really here, Vic." The girl laughed.

"I'm still not sure." Victor smiled, tears shining in his eyes. "There's one way to be certain though." And the boy leaned in to kiss Sonja's lips, but right before he made contact, he fell seemingly unconscious again. Sonja burst out laughing and leaned down a few inches above her boyfriend's face, just to look at him.

He cracked one eye open, and saw how close she was, and he swiftly raised his torso and brought his lips to hers in a quick peck, causing the girl to giggle again. The couple laughed for a bit before Sonja laid beside Victor and rested her head on his chest, keeping a hand on his stomach.

"It's really you, baby. I can't believe it. God I missed you." He said, a few tears running from his eyes.

"Oh, Vic don't cry. Please don't." Sonja smiled sympathetically.

"I can't help it!" Victor laughed, "You're here, and I can't even tell you how happy I am to see you. It's effing spectacular!"

"You're sweet." Sonja said, lightly kissing the blonde boy.

"Awww, isn't that cute. Come on you two, we've got work to do." David said, and they looked to see him holding an unconscious Claire in his arms.

"Hey, what happened to Claire?" Victor asked hastily, sitting up.

"Withdrawals. She passed out." Stated the tall boy. "They have her on some fucked up stuff. I could practically hear her shaking last night. Twas most sucky."

"Twas? Really?" Sonja almost laughed.

"Yes, twas." David chuckled.

"Come. We need to get all of you to the ICU." Dr. Gornick sighed. "All of you are coming off of some really bad drugs." He looked to all of them, a sense of fear in his hearts. He never had been attached to a group of patients like he has been with these.

They were like his children.

He wasn't going to let anything happen to them.

"What's going on?" They all turned to see Eric popping his head outside of his room.

"Umm, all of us need to get to the ICU. We are all coming off of withdrawls." David looked back at the others. "I forgot they were even here."

"OH! So that's why I was talking to a yellow fox last night." The boy sighed.

"RAGGLE FRAGGLE!!!" They all heard Matty scream. "What the fudge?!"

"Come on Matty. We need to get out of here." Victor and Sonja stood, walking hand in hand out of his room.

"Okay." The young blonde boy stood and came out of his room as well, Erik following him.

When Matty saw his sister unconscious he became enraged.

"WHAT THE FRICK DID WE EVER DO TO THAT EFFING DOCTOR?! WHAT DID WE EVER DO TO PISS HER OFF TO THE POINT THAT SHE TRIES TO KILL ALL OF US?!"He screamed.

"Matty, I'm going to find out. This goes deeper than anything that she may think. There is no professional excuse for this. This is personal." The Doctor promised.

The group made their way to the ICU, but not before passing the entire patients all looked in awe as the six patients and Dr. Gornick walked through. The nurses looked frightened. They didn't know that anyone was in there.

The Doctors sitting at the staff table looked gobsmacked.

Dr. Martin looked as though she would faint.

Then Dr. Winter walked in.

"What are you doing?!" She screamed. "Those patients are a nuisance and are destructive to the order of this hospital. If you take them out of there, they will cause hell for everyone!"

"YOU HAVE ALMOST KILLED TWO OF THESE PATIENTS!! ONE OF THEM IS CURRENTLY WITH DR. CALVIN MAKING SURE THAT SHE DIDN'T SUFFER BRAIN DAMAGE!!"Dr. Gornick shouted right back "That's where we're currently taking Claire. You have put these patients on a deadly cocktail of drugs, then you've thrown them into isolations without _any _drugs?! You are going to be _so_ lucky if I don't charge you with Attempted Murder!"

She stared at the man, tears coming to her eyes. "You won't do that!" She gasped.

"Damn right, I will!" He growled. "You are a murdering little leech."

She sat down next to one of the other doctors, who stood up, disgusted.

Dr. Gornick and the others made their way out of the cafeteria, and into one of the elevators up to the 5th floor.

When they got out, Dr. Calvin was waiting for them.

"Brian, what the hell did she do to her?!" He shouted.

"She threw them into Solitary. She put a sign on the door to ensure that no nurses would go in there and see them. She went off the deep end this time, Goggles."

"I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" The tall blonde man screamed.

"No!" Gornick stood in front of him. "Don't we will make her suffer. Trust me. Wether or not the members of the board care about Kelsey or Claire, what she did to all of them could have killed them. No hospital in the country will hire her. This has killed her and she knows it."

"Kelsey's in a coma!! If she doesn't wake up within the next 72 hours then she might as well have been shot in the face!" He yelling, pointing at a room with a green curtain over the door, Josh sitting outside against the wall.

David took Claire into an empty room and set her on a bed. A nurse came in and hooked in an I.V. Another nurse came in with a chart. She looked at David with a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry but you are going to have to leave."

"I understand. Please let me know how she's doing." David nodded. He squeezed Claire's hand before leaving the room. "Get better, buddy."

When he left the room he saw Josh staring blankly at the wall in front of him.

The lanky boy sighed before walking over to him and sitting next to him on the cold hard floor.

"How are you holding up, Josh?" David asked.

"They are my sisters, David. I'm not going to let anything happen to them. They don't deserve this. The fact that Kelsey's in there and may not wake up is killing me. Claire's going to wake up. I know it. She was only on the Zolafat. But Kelsey was on Lithium and Reserpine. _And _tranquilizers. Her brain could be fried right now." He looked up at the older boy, tears in his stormy gray eyes. "I can't lose them. I can't lose them."

"We aren't going to lose them. I guarantee it. We aren't going to lose our friends and you won't lose your sisters. Trust me. I know that you three were very close at Bartlett." David put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "We aren't going to let anything happen to them. We can't let anything happen to them."

Josh merely nodded.

He couldn't lose both of them, like he said, they were his family.


End file.
